Traffic signal



Oct. 27, 1953 M. J. DowNEY 2,656,815

TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed June 25, 1951 /N VE N TOF? MICHAEL d. DOWNEY :21. BY 59 e@ mM/,L

Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to signals for the direction of motorists; and one of the objects is the provision of such a signal that may be displayed by raising it above the grade or street level, or hidden by lowering it below the street level as control of tra'lc conditions make desirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide a signal of the character described which may be locked in place whether in displayed or concealed position.

The invention possesses other objects, some of which with the foregoing will be brought out in the following description of the invention. I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description and the drawings, since I may adopt variant forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. l is an elevation of my traffic signal when in displayed position, a

portion of the housing being in vertical section.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my traiflc signal with the signal post and sign and base reversed to concealed position. The housing is shown in central vertical section and part of the signal base is also shown in section to disclose the locking means. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the signal when in concealed position, a portion being shown in section to disclose the lock.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a variant form of my signal, together with hydraulic operating means therefor. Parts are shown in section, the better to reveal the structure.

In the control of city traflic, it is frequently necessary to display signs for the direction of motorists during rush hours or during parades, and then withdraw such signs after this temporary use is past.

According to my observation, this has generally been accomplished by the use of a signal post set in a broad heavy base, and which is kept during periods of non-use on the sidewalk and wheeled or carried out to location when needed by the traflic control oiiicer.

Quite obviously, this is a, make-shift arrangement and objectionable for that reason, but an even stronger objection lies in the attractiveness which unattached objects of this sort have for exuberant youth, especially in college towns.

My invention meets the requirements of this situation by the provision of a housing set below the level of the pavement at the point where the signal is to be used; and arranging the parts of the signal and the housing so that the signal can be displayed above the housing or concealed therein, and in both arrangements locked in place.

In more detail, my traffic signal comprises a housing I, including a length of cylindrical steel pipe 2, threaded at both ends, and having a cap 3, threaded on the lower end. The cap has a drain hole 4 therethrough for the escape of any water that may collect in the housing. At the upper end, the pipe is threaded into the head 6, which forms a bell on the pipe, and is set flush with the pavement 'I as shown, at whatever location it is anticipated that a temporary and movable trafiic signal will be needed.

Fitting easily into the bell, is the base 8, which carries the signal post S and signal plate I2 on which the indicia I3, comprising the traffic directions are displayed. The base 8 ts the bell either face up, and the post and plate are of such size that they t within the pipe 2, so that the base with post extending upwardly may be nested in the bell to display the signal, or nested in the bell with the post extending downwardly into the chamber formed by the pipe, to conceal the signal.

In either position, means are provided for locking the base in the bell. Preferably the base is cast metal; and cored in one side midway between the at faces, is a recess I6, generally circular as seen in Fig. 3, but having the stop lugs II and I8 spaced in the curved wall, about as shown.

Fixed rigidly on the short shaft I9, journaled in the base on each side of the recess is a locking disk 2I corresponding to a lock bolt, and having oppositely arranged extensions or lugs 22 and 23 as shown. Conveniently the parts are assembled by rst inserting the disk into the recess :and then forcing the properly dimensioned shaft into place, the shaft ends turning easily in the base but having a force fit in the disk.

With the lug 23 against the stop I 'I, no part of the locking disk extends beyond the curved side of the base, which may then be freely inserted or withdrawn from the bell. With the lug 23 against the stop I8, the lug 22 extends out from the curved face and into the groove 24 formed all around the inside of the bell, so that the bolt will engage in the groove in any position in which the base is placed in the bell with the post extending up or down.

The end faces of the shaft I9 are provided with spaced holes 26, iitting a two-prong key carried by the traffic oiiicer on duty. The bottom face of the base is cored out to provide a grip 2l by which the inverted base may be lifted out of the housing.

Since streets do not always intersect at regular angles, means are provided for xing the position In some places it may be desirable to direct: Y

traffic or convey information to motorists by re` mote control. For example, ina garage which n l length'than4 the cylinder 30, so that the signal has exhausted its storage facilities, it may be de# sired to display a Full sign at the entrance he.-vv fore other cars can block the driveway.

In Fig. 4, I have shown an installation particularzly intendedfor such use, thatv is, for operation iafslgnal by remote control. A hydraulic Cylinder 3U`"iS Connected tov and arranged below the head 'or bell *3ll Setiiush in the 11001' er pavement 32l at thedesired location.` Infthe bottom ofthe 3.3 seais merisionjrod The rod forms a signal postfand carries an' invertedfcup 35 on its upper end. The` cup bea-rs thede'sired indicia` 3], such as theI word Elljf 1Itreatedl`Several"timesv about .its .Cylindricalr face. so that'the signmay be readffromV any approach. Fixed 0.11. therod withintthefcylinder isa piston 38,2116.. pipes 3,9 and 4 1 connect opposite ends of the cylinder tothe hydraulic fluid Supply cylinder 412,' so lthat an" alternate flow of fluid tothe ends of cylinder 3D raises and lowers the sign as the ese'may he. "Disposed in the cylinder i12V is, aY piston 43, on rod 4,4,Xed in the` cross head 45, arranged to slide backend Vforth in the guide bars all. 'Ihe cross head isj connected, by link 48' to ythecrank larm 4 9, fixed' on the sam'e'shaft with a' disk` 5 l and driven by theredllction gear. meter 52n et .about 4R. P. M. Diametrically oppositecampoints are arranged (inthe .disk toppen thenswitch 54r twice ywith each revohltion'of the disk and cranl; arm, the points .of operation'be' gat a time' whenthe '1015112911 43 istat gan tensor its cylinder..

The swi't`h"5k4 is arranged in the -motor circuit .it-.51, `and is` normally closed. A line 58 with thenlnormally open push'button switch v59 byrasees 'or shorts. across the. Swith 54 Thus be- .twelstrolies the, DSOI? Hisawa at me end .situe einer or the c yllnqler qzt,lwln1 the signal vdispllal'r inits upper position vor the clip' 36 nested'lush in the bell i3 I. WhenY it is desired to raise .the signal rrom'lts hidden pgsltlon, er lower it from the position oi display, the-push button switch 5.9isdepressed. and held forafew seconds bell; a packing gland 4T; to start the motor and carry the cam 5'3y past' the contact arm of the switch 54 so that switch 54 closes. The motor then operates to move the pis-- ton 43 through its stroke, until the other cam opens the switch at the end of the stroke. It is obvious that the hydraulic fluid in the cylinder locks the post and indicia bearing means inl both displayed and concealed positions.

The stroke gf the piston 43l is of course twice the throw of thej'crank-48; and the volume of' hydraulic fluid displaced by each stroke of the: piston is the volumetric capacity of the corre-A sponding side of the piston 38. In order to avoid anexcessive length of the cylinder 42, it is pro portignately! .oi greater diameter and shorter may be liftedto a' preferred height of thirty to1 thirty-.six inches with only a short throw of thef crank and a corresponding short length of cylinf der 42. The system is conveniently filled with hydraulic iiuid through thecapped ttin'gs'l 'and4 621,'a-n'd drained thl-"ough the cock 63. A'

1, A traflic signal comprising a housing includ-- ing a belledhead at its upper end, a' base loosely" fitting in the belled head in upright and upside down position, a post xed in the base andinthe: upside down position extending to adjacent the bottoniV of the housing, and a sign carriedfby the: post.

2..' A trafc signal comprising a housing including a belled'head at its'upper end, a base loosely fitting in the 'belled head in upright'and upside downfposition, a post iixed in the base and in the upside down position 'extending to adjacent the bottom of the housing, a` sign .carried 'by .the'positr and means for locking" the baseV in the belledhead in either position.

3l. YA traiiicsignal .comprising a housing includ; ingV a bell'ed head -atit's upper end, a'base nloosely 'tting'in .the belled head in upright and upside down position, a-pst -ixed in the base and in the upside'down position extending .to adjacentthe bottom of the housing, a sign .carried 'by 4tlie post, andinterlocking means between the' base andthe belled lleadY for 'fixingtheir vrelative positions a vertical axis.`

1 MICHAEL J.

References ,Cited in the file `,of tnispatent UltrrE-D STATES PATENTS 

